Europe is moving towards a more environmentally friendly production model, but sustainability continues to be one of the biggest challenges for the agri-food sector. Global warming, rural depopulation and, especially, the pressure on some natural resources associated with beef, force us to rethink the way we produce our food. In this context, beef cattle farming, a key sector for territorial balance and food security, seeks to accelerate its transformation to contribute to the climate objectives of the European Union.
With this framework of urgency and commitment, the Interprofessional Beef Organization of Spain (Provacuno) and the Walloon Agency for the Promotion of Quality Agriculture (Apaq-W) They have launched the campaign «For a sustainable Europe, the special mission of beef»as part of the European program Sustainable European Beef (SEUB).
The initiative, co-financed with community funds, will run until the end of 2027, mainly in Spain and Belgiumwith actions planned in Germany, Italy, France and Portugal. Its objective is twofold: on the one hand, to disseminate among citizens the commitments of the European beef sector in order to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050; and, on the other hand, transfer to the sector itself the latest technological tools and good practices available to move towards an economically viable, socially responsible and environmentally sustainable production model.
The program includes the development of content based on scientific evidence, disseminated through the vacunosostenible.eu website, social networks, podcasts and seminars at universities. These activities seek, especially among young people between 18 and 40 years old, to increase knowledge of the sustainable practices that are already applied in beef farming. During this year, meetings have been organized in the Polytechnic University of Madrid, the Polytechnic University of Valencia, the University of Bonn, the Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore (Piacenza) and the Haute École de Ciney (Wallonia). The next one will take place at the Pablo de Olavide University in Seville.
In the words of Javier López, director of PROVACUNO: «The objective of this campaign is to show the sector’s firm commitment to sustainability in all its forms: economic, social and environmental. Economic sustainability guarantees the viability of farms and the competitiveness of companies; the social, the maintenance of the rural fabric, the generational change and employment in the territory; and the environmental one (impossible to achieve if the previous two do not occur), the reduction of emissions, efficient water management and soil preservation.
“It is an opportunity to share with citizens all the work that the sector does to align with the objectives of climate neutrality and sustainable rural development set by the European Union,” he concludes.
Sustainability accompanied by technology
As it could not be otherwise, science plays a central role in this initiative. Among the experts involved is Fernando Estelles Barber, full professor of the Polytechnic University of Valenciaspecialist in livestock and environment. His work, focused on precision livestock farming, illustrates the path towards more efficient farms, with a smaller environmental footprint.
In parallel, the sector advances in the application of new technologies. One of the most innovative tools of the project will be a system that will allow the emissions of farms and companies to be calculated automatically, integrating with their management systems. This information will facilitate the adoption of measures to reduce the carbon footprint and improve soil conservation.
Looking to the future, Brussels will host the I Symposium on the Sustainability of European Beef Beef on November 12. The meeting will bring together institutional representatives, international experts and sector associations to discuss the economic, social and environmental challenges of the sector. Four round tables will address everything from productive viability to territorial cohesion and emissions reduction, in a dialogue that promises to mark the roadmap for the coming years.